Oscars: 'The Shape of Water' Wins for Production Design; Team Salutes Canadian Crew

Trophies were awarded to production designer Paul Denham Austerberry and set decorators Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin.

Guillermo del Toro's Cold War fairy tale The Shape of Water collected the Oscar for production design.

Trophies were awarded to production designer Paul Denham Austerberry and set decorators Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin.

Austerberry thanked the film's Canadian crew on stage.

Backstage, Melvin said of Toronto, where The Shape of Water was filmed, “we have world-class technicians, and we want to keep it that way and keep going. Build more studios, and we can do more.”

Added Vieau: “With The Handmaid’s Tale and The Shape of Water, we really came out on top. So it’s a really, really big thing for 873 and all of the other unions in Toronto.”

He said of working with del Toro: “He knows what he wants visually. …Once you develop a language with the man, he let’s you do your thing and let’s you go above and beyond what he has given you.”

Read the full speeches below:

Paul Denham Austerberry: First of all, thanks to the all Canadian crew that are partying right now in Montreal or Toronto. This is for you. Thank you to the Academy, Guillermo, may you keep dreaming up your monsters and their wonderful stories so people like us can help shape their worlds. Thanks to Miles Dale, David Greenbaum, Nancy Utley, Matthew Greenfield and everyone at Fox Searchlight. Please keep making wonderful films like this. Luis Sequeira, Dan Laustsen, we would not be up here without your support. To the amazing art department and construction and paint crew in Toronto, thank you, and my wonderful people right here.

Shane Vieau: A big thank-you to our amazing crew back in Toronto. Without you guys, we definitely wouldn't be here today. Thank you.

Jeffrey A. Melvin: I share this award with the people that put me here: my wife and kids, Sheila, Alex, Sarah. My coworkers who were inspired by Guillermo's vision. Averol, Alex, Angie, Carlos, Dominic, Toni, Chef, Biron, Carl, Brenton, Nigel, William, Dave and Dave, Mark, Trace, Matthew, Maria and Donnie, thank you so much for getting this for me.